By Isaac Zulu
Crews and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CRAWUZ) president Bevis Silumbe has told TAZARA workers that the government has only released salary arrears for two months based on net pay as opposed to gross, contrasting the position given by the Ministry of Transport and Logistics that three months salary arrears had been released.
Speaking when he addressed unionised TAZARA workers in Kapiri Mposhi district on today, Silumbe explained that what the union leaders had initially requested for, was payment of four months salary arrears and government agreed to pay for three months, however what has been released by the Treasury will only carter for two months salaries.
Silumbe explained that contrary to a statement that was issued by the Ministry of Transport and Logistics last week indicating that the Zambian government has released funds to dismantle three months salary arrears for employees at the railway company, government has only released money that is enough to offset two salary arrears.
Silumbe said it was unfortunate that the statement from the Ministry of Transport and Logistics was subjected to public consumption both through public and private media houses.
“It is unfortunate that that information was subjected to public consumption without verification. What the government has released is money enough to offset two salary arrears and not the three months, as indicated by the Ministry of Transport and Logistics. And what we are getting paid is only net pay and not gross,” explained Silumbe.
And Silumbe has said that one of the solutions to addressing the challenges facing TAZARA lies in actualising the Bankable Business Plan that was recently formulated by the Board of Directors at the railway company.
He said p the permanent solution to delayed payment of salaries for TAZARA workers does not lie in the repair of the Chambeshi bridge in Kasama, but finding a lasting solution to the numerous problems that have been rocking TAZARA on annual basis.
He also said that one of the solutions to the said challenges is the placement of TAZARA workers on government payroll on the Zambian side, as is the case in Tanzania.
Silumbe noted that “TAZARA needs serious recapitalization in order to ensure that the railway company runs as a self sustainable and viable entity.”
He wondered why some government officials at the Ministry of Transport and Logistics have been exhibiting some inertia when it comes to actualising the implementation of the Bankable Business Plan at TAZARA and the placement of TAZARA workers on government payroll.
“One of the ways to address this perennial delayed payment of salaries for TAZARA workers is to put TAZARA employees on government payroll, like is the case with our colleagues on Tanzanian side. The other permanent solution for the Zambian government to addressing the challenges facing TAZARA operations lies in serious recapitalisation of this rail company. And this involves actualising the Bankable Business Plan that was recently formulated by the Board of Directors at TAZARA,” said Silumbe.
About middle last year, the TAZARA Board of Directors approved a Bankable Business Plan that is aimed at ensuring the rail company runs as a self sustainable and viable entity.
The TAZARA Bankable Business Plan is worth US$500 million dollars and is expected to run for three years.
Some of its components include the procurement of locomotives and wagons for the rail company, as well as continuous payment salaries for TAZARA workers.
And speaking at the same meeting, Workers Union of TAZARA (WUTAZ) general secretary Jacob Lombe said that the union leadership at rail firm were feeling the same pain as unionised workers.
Lombe explained that the the union leaders at TAZARA have been putting in “enormous efforts to ensure that the plight of TAZARA workers” is addressed.
Meanwhile, TAZARA head of human resources John Tembo, observed that the issue of delayed payment of salaries has been there even before the TAZARA operations were disrupted, owing to the damaged Chambeshi bridge in Kasama.
Tembo explained that for TAZARA to reach its break even point, and start running as a self sustainable and viable entity, it has to start hauling 650,000 metric tonnes of cargo annually.
He disclosed that, the current locomotives and wagons that TAZARA has, if well utilised; can only enable TAZARA to transport heavy cargo of at least 250,000 metric tonnes per annum.
